Brake lock



June 7, 1949. 1', SCHUELER 2,472,442

BRAKE LOCK Filed April 25, 1947 INVENTOR. THEODORE ScHusLER BY I ' A T TORNEYJ .atented June 7, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE with Application April 25, 1947., Serial No. 743,759

7 Claims. (01."74-489') The present invention relates to brakes and, more particularly, to means for locking a hand operated brake after it has been applied.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a locking device in association with a hand operated actuator for a brake, the operation of both braking and locking being carried out by the same hand.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for positively looking a hand operated brake in any one of a number of different operative positions.

The invention is to be used on two wheeled vehicles on which a brake operating hand lever is provided. The advantages of providing such a positive locking means will be apparent to operators of motorcycles and the like as the operation of such vehicles requires a large number of manipulations of the hands, usually within a short period of time.

Other objects and features of novelty of the by the following description and the annexed drawings which,

illustrative of the thereon not it will be understood, are only invention and impose no limitation imposed by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar reference numerals refer to like parts,

Fig. 1 is a side view, partially in section, showing my brake locking means in unlocked position;

Fig. 2 is a side view, partially in section, showing my brake locking means in locked position, and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged lines 5-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings there is disclosed a portion of a handle bar I having mounted on the rear end thereof the hand grip 2. Attached to the handle bar in the hand grip is a depending bifurcated bracket 3 held by a clamping plate 8. A hand brake lever 5 is pivotally connected to the rear portion of the bracket 3. Mounted on the front face of the bracket 3 is a horizontally extending cylindrical housing 6 having integrally formed therewith a substantially vertically extending hollow housing I having a screw-cap 8 secured to the top thereof, a small hole being provided in the center of the cap. The vertical housing is rearwardly inclined, the purpose of which will be described hereinafter. The lower inside portion of the housing 1 is of reduced diameter, thereby providing shoulders it. A plunger H is adapted to be mounted in slidable relation in the housing 1, a portion of the plunger being provided with an enlarged shoulder l2 that abuts the reduced portion of sectional view taken on the housing. An elongated detent i3 is integrally formed on the extreme lower portion of the plunger, the detent being in the shape of a truncated cone. The upper end of the plunger, which extends through the hole in the cap 9, is provided with a thumb piece 14. A spring 1'5 surrounds the plunger H, the lower end of the spring resting on the shoulders it while the upper end of the spring abuts-a plate l6 fixed to the plunger. In normal position the plunger II is extended outwardly by the spring and the detent I3 is contained within the reduced portion of the housing 1.

The lower portion of the hand brake lever is provided with a socket in which is fitted a subs'tantially hollow ball l1. Attached to the ball I! and extending forwardly through a suitable opening in the bracket 3 and into the housing "6 is a hollow rod Hi, the end portion of the rod being provided with a series of teeth or ratchets l9. Extending from the front wheel brake, which is not shown, is an actuating cable 20 enclosed in a suitable housing 2|, the cable extending through rod 18 and being anchored in the hol low portion of the ball 'l'l by any suitable means, in the present instance, the cable being anchored in a solder plug 22. The cable 20 is normally under tension due to the action of the brake spring, thereby holding the brake operating lever 5 away from the hand grip 2.

In operation, when the brake lever is actuated, the handle pulls cable 2!) and rod 18 on which the ratchcts are mounted to the rear to apply the brakes. The plunger H is then depressed by thumb piece M against spring 15 and the detent l3 engages one of the surfaces of the ratchets l9 mounted on the cables. With the detent in this position the hand lever is released and the co-action between the detent and the ratchet prevents releasing of the brake cable. When it is desired to release the brake it is only necessary to pull the lever in order to permit the detent to clear the face of the ratchet that it has engaged. The spring then forces the rod to its normal extended position and the detent and ratchets are thereby automatically disengaged. The handle is then released and with it the brake.

The housing 'I is mounted at an angle to the housing '6 to provide easier access by the operator to the thumb piece i l. Because of this construction it is, therefore, necessary to construct the detent as shown in the drawings to provide a more positive engagement between the detent and the flat faces of the ratchets. It will also be seen that by providing a series of teeth or ratchets on the rod [8. the

of a number of different positions.

brakes may be set in any.

Various other changes, as will appear to those while pressing the plunger having the detent atskilled in the art, may be resorted to without detached thereto into engagement with one of the parting from the spiiit of the invention Referiatchets, the connection between the detent and ence W111 theiefore be had to the appended claims iatchet being automatically b1 oken upon applifor a definit on of the limits of the invention 5 cation of additional pressure to the b1 ake level I claim: 5. A look for a hand operated brake level of 1. A look for a hand operated brake lever comthe type wherein the lever 15 pivotally mount d prising a bracket attached to the vehicle steerupon a bracket secured to a vehicle steenn bar pivotally connected to the bracket, ahorizontally toward the steering bar, comprising a housing said vertical housing bein reduced, a plunger and having aseries of ratchets positioned in said shoulder slidable within the reduced portion of housing and projectin upwardly and inclined said housing, a spring surrounding said plunger rearwardly with respect to the first housing, a

and adapted to maintain said plunger in explunger slidably mounted in the second housing tended position, a detent integral with the lower and having a detent formed at the lower end end of the plunger and normally positioned withthereof for engaging one of said ratchets, a spiing in the reduced portion of said vertical housin within the second housing and normally uiging a hollow 10d attached to the sa d lever and eX- the plunger and detent to a ieleased position said an being p bl by the operating lever. brake lever is squeezed toward the steering bar 2. A look for a hand operated brake lever acby the hand of the operator. cording to claim 1, in which the rear portion of 6. A look for a hand operated brake lever 01' the hollow rod is provided with a hollow ball t type wherein th lever i pivotally mounted operating cable and disposed within the ball to toward th teerin bar, comprising a housing lock the ball and cable together, to permit sim lcarried by the lower portion of the bracket, a taneous movement of the rod and cable when brake actuating cable extending through the the brake lever is actuated. housing and having an end connected to the 3. A look associated with a hand operated actulever, a ratchet sleeve surrounding said cable and ator for a bralge compris ng a cylindrical houshaving a series of ratchets positioned in said ing cable extending through said rod and also plunger slidably mounted in the second housing being attached to said actuator, a second housand having a detent formed at the lower end ing secured to the first housing d c d n thereof for engaging one of said ratchets, a spring Substant a ly V a y thereof, a plunge? within the second housing and normally urging housin said plunger being pr vi d n h l r said plunger being provided with a button at its end thereof with a detent normally out of the upper end, the button and plunger being so conpath of movement of said ratchets but adapte structed and arranged as to be pressed downtO a e One O he ratchets Wh n e pl wardly by the thumb of the operator to engage re urn said plunger and detent to its normal brake when the brake lever is squeezed toward p s n w n sl pressure s app d t h the steering bar by the hand of the operator,

actuator after the brake has been set. said plunger and detent automatically being re- 4. A l ck f r a hand p a d brake lever mturned to normal position when it is desired to p s n a r k a h to the v hi le stcerunlock the brake by slight additional pressure ing a d g p o the end of Sa bar 130 being applied to the lever to permit disengagethe rear of said bracket, a hand operated brake ment of the detent and ratchet. a t a n lever piv ll conn c d to h 7. A lock for a hand operated brake lever acconnected to said lever and surrounding said engagement between the detent and the ratchet.

cable throughout a portion of its length, said THEODORE SCI-IUELER ratchets being contained in a horizontally disposed housing mounted on the front face of said REFERENCES CITED bracket operated by hand to lock the The following references are of record in the brake lever in one of a number of positions, said me of this means comprisin a detent attached to a spring patent:

pressed plunger slidably mounted in a vertically REIGN PATENTS extending, rearwardly inclined housing secured N mbe to said first housing, said locking means being u 43 J g Jan operated when the vehicle operator squeezes the 330353 Great 1930 

